Take It to the Grave
by Shadowed Night Sky
Summary: Temari goes searching for Gaara on his birthday, only to discover him sitting in front of a familiar grave.


_Disclaimer - I have been through this many times before. I am sure you know that Naruto does not belong to me. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto._

_I'm finally posting a new story...and it's not even one that I've written recently. I wrote this last year, and I decided to wait to post it. But here it is, finally. R&R...and enjoy as well._

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**Take It to the Grave  
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**Temari goes searching for Gaara on his birthday, only to discover him sitting in front of a familiar grave. **

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The graveyard was silent. The marble slabs of rock that were delicately carved into intricate designs looked menacing as the hot desert sun began to rise in the skies, the silent memorials still cast in darkness. The graveyard was clearly divided into different sections, with a large open range for the ninjas, a more enclosed space for the civilians, and a grand and elegant memorial for the Kazekages that was built into the rocky walls surrounding Sunagakure.

It was nearly empty, as it was most days. A few figures skulked through the crisscrossed paths, searching for the headstone that marked the final resting place of a dearly departed.

One figure was hurrying through the graveyard, avoiding the headstones and statues with ease. She didn't bother to stop and pay a moment of respect as she passed the extravagant entrance to the Kages resting place, but instead quickened her pace.

She neatly avoided tripping over a sitting mourner and passed under a large entryway that led to the single part of the graveyard that was reserved for the graves of the more noble, higher-classed people. Her sharp eyes roved the area, noting that no one was to be seen. She moved forward with confidence, knowing exactly where she was going.

Her steps faltered for a moment when she passed a large statue. Before she slowed to a complete stop, her teal eyes focused on a lone figure that sat in front of a grave that was set on a small hill.

She stood there silently, not moving a muscle, knowing that he already knew she was there but reluctant to approach. She averted her eyes, catching sight of the grave she was standing next to and studying the name engraved on the headstone. Below it was the death date, and a short epitaph, but the birth date was missing, as was Suna custom.

"What are you doing here, Temari?"

She was startled out of her musings, and she glanced towards the still figure. "I was looking for you," she said lamely.

"I'm fine. You didn't need to come here."

Temari hesitated a moment before walking towards her brother. "I was looking for you, Gaara," she repeated. "You disappeared without a word last night. Kankuro and I were worried...so was Baki actually, though he wouldn't admit it." She stopped two paces behind him, her eyes going past his hunched figure to focus on the gravestone. She swallowed the lump in her throat that had arisen unbidden.

"I'm fine," Gaara repeated, not taking his eyes off the grave.

"I can see that...but, you shouldn't be here."

"Why not?" said Gaara tonelessly.

"It's your birthday, Gaara. Kankuro even bought a cake...I, uh, actually tried to bake one but I - I accidentally burned it into ashes...and all three of us got you presents, and Baki even _wrapped_ his, which is unusual if you remember last Christmas and..." Temari paused. "It's your birthday, Gaara," she said again. "You shouldn't be alone on your birthday, and you certainly shouldn't be here."

"I don't care about my birthday," said Gaara. "There's nothing worth celebrating."

Temari released her breath in a small sigh, and crossed the distance between her and her youngest brother. She sat down beside him, drawing her legs up and wrapping her arms around them, her chin on her knees. "We celebrate your birth, Gaara," she said. "That's worth something."

Gaara's brow furrowed slightly. "You used to come here on this day every year."

Temari processed the words in her mind, her surprise evident on her face. She turned her face away, biting her lip, not sure what to say since she wasn't able to deny the statement. "How did you know that?" she asked finally. Her eyes widened as she reached a conclusion. "You were there." It wasn't a question. "You came here too, every year. Just like me."

Gaara didn't respond.

Temari stared at the grave, reading the name that was carved plainly into the solid stone. "We've never celebrated your birthday as a family before," she said. "We've just had our first Christmas, and we celebrated my birthday, but we haven't been together for yours yet." She paused a moment, considering her next words. "I used to come here on this day every year because as a child, there was nothing else on this day to remember..." Temari cut herself off, wincing at the harshness of the words that had sounded much better in her head. "I mean, that there was nothing else - well, what I'm trying to say is -"

"It was her deathday," Gaara said bluntly. "And that's all you cared to remember."

Despite the bitter words, he sounded as Gaara-like as usual, empty and hollow, and that's what caused Temari to wish she had never started this conversation, since it had been days, even weeks, since he had sounded so cold and emotionless.

But after a moment of silence, she nodded. "Yes," she conceded. "I just remembered it as her deathday. But it was because I was afraid of you. I didn't forget it was your birthday - though it might be better to say that I had - but I didn't. I was afraid of you though, and although I loved you so much, Kaa-san's memory was untainted. I remembered her as a figure that I could count on. And this was the day I lost her, so I came here, just like you did."

She reached out and grabbed his hand, and silently marveled at the fact that he didn't pull away. "But it's different now. And you know it's different now. We're celebrating your birthday together. It's your first birthday with us as a family. Gaara, we've already had fourteen years to mourn for Kaa-san...she would've wanted us to choose celebrating your birth rather than dwelling on her death."

"How do you know?" asked Gaara harshly, turning a glare on Temari, his aquamarine eyes flashing with an indeterminable emotion.

The kunoichi didn't reply at first, opting instead to stare down at the slim, pale hand resting in her own. She glanced up to fix her gaze on her mother's name as though seeking strength. "I don't remember her that much," she said softly. "I was only three when she died, after all. But...I remember that she was always smiling. Even after..." _even after you were conceived and everything changed_ "...after she had Tou-sama betray her by sealing Shukaku in...well, into you...she was always smiling whenever she was around me and Kankuro. We never even knew something was wrong."

Temari debated stopping there, questioning the wisdom of continuing. "Yashamaru used to tell us stories of her too," she said at last. She stopped, tense and alert for a change in Gaara's demeanor.

Gaara shifted slightly. "I know," he said quietly. "He used to tell me about her, and how she was one of the kindest people you could have ever met."

A shadow of a smile flickered on Temari's lips as she inclined her head. "Yeah. He always used to talk about her with Kankuro and me. He told us stories about when she was still a ninja, or about how she was always around us, and always so proud of everything we did. He told us about when she and Tou-sama first met, and what things were like back then. Yashamaru said that she loved all three of us very much...even you, Gaara."

The tension that gripped Gaara was blatantly obvious, and she would've been able to tell that he didn't appreciate the comment even if he hadn't slid his hand out of her grip.

Temari could feel the tension that gripped Gaara. She kept her mouth shut for a few minutes, knowing that it would be wise not to push the subject. But before leaving the topic of Yashamaru, she spoke once more. "He was right about one thing, Gaara. She did love you. I remember her always rubbing her belly and talking to you...she was so happy when she found out you were going to be born. She was four months along when they sealed Shukaku in you, and although I don't remember, I heard that she cried for days because of what would happen to you. She had known the other Jinchuuriki and didn't want you to suffer the same fate. Even with Shukaku in you, she still loved you."

Gaara jerked ever so slightly away from Temari. His kohl-rimmed eyes focused onto the grave, tracing over the engraved name and the death date.

Lowering her hands down to the ground behind her, Temari sat back, tilting her head up to examine the rapidly lightening sky. "Tou-sama always taught us that as ninjas, death is a main focus in our life. We are killers, watch others be killed, and avoid being part of the kill. But Yashamaru told me that she loved life. That she believed ninjas shouldn't forget about the lives they live, and the family they love. She always enjoyed celebrating being alive." Temari looked once more at the headstone. "So she wouldn't have wanted us to come here to - to grieve for her on her deathday. She would've preferred that we come on her birthday instead, I think."

For the first time since she had arrived, the redhead looked at her. He didn't reply to her statement, but cast her a questioning glance.

Temari shrugged. "It's what she would've preferred. It's what _I_ would prefer as well. It's your birthday, Gaara," she added on conversationally. "I want to celebrate it."

"Why?" His voice was soft, but clear, and Temari marveled at how vulnerable he sounded.

"Because..." she took a deep breath, sitting up straight and laying a hand on his shoulder, causing him to look at her once more, aquamarine gazing into teal. "Because I love you, otouto," she said, and felt a constricting force in her chest as she watched his eyes widen in shock, feeling the stiffness that washed over him. "I love you," she said again, "And I'm glad you were born...so I want to celebrate today."

He lowered his head, his red hair falling into his face as one hand rose up, clutching at his chest, right over his heart. Temari could feel a pang in her own rapidly beating heart, recognizing that gesture from long ago.

The silence stretched, neither comfortable nor uncomfortable.

When Gaara finally spoke, it was nearly inaudible, and Temari almost missed it. She felt a small jolt in her body as the question processed in her mind, and she leaned back a second so she could get an even better look at Gaara's face.

His eyes were averted, looking once again at the grave. He still looked expressionless, but Temari could see a flicker of...of _something_ in those dead eyes that she'd never seen before. She couldn't pinpoint it, would never be able to explain what it was, but she just _knew _that it meant something.

"It's in ten days," she said, answering his question. "Kaa-san's birthday is in ten days, on January 29th."

Gaara looked at her once more, obviously surprised. Temari smiled at him, gently lowering her arm from his thin shoulder. She looked around the graveyard. It had been the custom for years in Suna to leave off the birth date of the deceased on their graves. It was mostly done for ninjas, as the Naidaime Kazekage had seemed to think this placed the ninjas at more equal status. The records of the deceased's birth was kept in the family, and only the highest officers had their birth dates inscribed.

"I didn't know our birthdays were so close," Gaara murmured.

Temari made a noise in the back of her throat.

No words were said for several minutes. The two siblings sat in silence, simply pondering over the past conversation.

The sky was completely lit, the sun already blazing hot by the time Gaara abruptly stood up. Temari looked up at him, confused as he turned and began heading towards the village gates. He halted when he noticed she was not following. "I assume Baki has awoken Kankuro by now," he said. "We should go intervene if we want to have a house still standing when we return."

Temari grinned animatedly and stood up immediately, knowing that Gaara was submitting to the insane birthday celebrations his siblings had planned out. She joined him in seconds, and they began walking back together.

Gaara paused once more before they went through the minor gate that left the section in which their mother was buried. He looked back one last time towards the grave. "Temari," he called, and Temari faltered in her steps, before returning to her brother's side not having noticed that he had stopped. She glanced once at him and caught an almost wistful expression in his eyes. He said nothing else, but she knew - as a big sister should - what he wanted.

"Would you like to come with me on the 29th to visit her, Gaara?" she asked casually.

His expression didn't change, but his eyes brightened. He gave a short, jerky nod, and began walking back once more. Temari hurried after him, and as she drew up, she glanced back once more at her mother's grave which stood proudly against the shining sun of a new day. A contented smile reached Temari's lips as she turned forwards.

"Happy Birthday, Gaara," she said.

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_Note: I looked up Karura's birthday, and couldn't find it, so I made up one for her. I actually made up her birthday from her manga debut, which was chapter 129. I was going to do her anime debut (since I don't read the manga), but it was episode 58 which put it too close to Yashamaru's birthday, and I thought it was cooler to have her birthday so close to Gaara's._

_Please review!  
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